I mean, look how much we have achieved in two short weeks! We’ve gone from a dustbin, two bags and a carrier bag to just half a swing bin liner for the landfill. I spent yesterday morning sorting out our ‘recycling space’. It’s more like a personal recycling centre actually (I wonder if Biffa could be convinced to come over and collect things).

I saw this gorgeous piece of furniture designed for storing recycling the other day and it inspired me to tidy up our recycling area a bit.

Ok, I’ll admit it. It inspired me to completely revamp the recycling area and stop living like a family of tramps. (See above)

What with sunny climes and the threat of hatching fruit flies I needed to get organised before it turned into some horrible breeding ground for all sorts of nasties that could have been used for filming a horror movie.

So there I am merrily clearing my space in true Feng Shui style when I skive off for a bit of an internet fix. Don’t pretend you don’t know what I’m talking about. You all know about that ‘just five minutes’ to check emails, browse forums, catch up on RSS feeds and recheck emails before logging back onto forums to see if anyone responded to you and then seeing if anything else has dropped into your RSS feeder before heading back to the emails box………..

I find an email from Mrs A suggesting that we ‘make a date’.
Mmmmmm
Does she fancy my husband or something?
Was it that I’d brushed my hair on the morning we met?

No, Mrs A wants us to commit to a date for our zero waste week. Yikes!

She suggests the first week in September for us to put NOTHING out for the dustmen.

I look at my lovely packets of rice in foil backed plastic, my fridge that is fit to bursting with yogurt in non recyclable pots and I seriously think about disconnecting myself from the internet forever so that she can’t contact me ever again.

Can I really do this?
But how?

My heart started to race, I don’t mind admitting that. My bottom lip started to quiver. It suddenly all felt so big, so real, so responsible and grown up. What has been a fun challenge over the past couple of weeks suddenly took on a new meaning.

I mentioned it to Mr Green who, with a flick of his wrist, said ‘Of course. This is what we’re aiming towards after all.’

“But what about my yogurt, and my rice and my…………..” I cried.
I received no sympathy whatsoever; just one of those looks.

I went off to sulk in the bedroom for an hour, meditate, write down my fears and promptly fell asleep.

When I woke up I felt much better. In fact, totally ok. Kind of tiptoeing around the edge of enjoying this next part of the challenge, even.

So there we have it, dear readers. As you are our witnesses, in seven short weeks; the first week in September we’re doing our very first zero waste week.

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I am a long time supporter of the Green and Sustainable lifestyle. After being caught in the Boscastle floods in 2004, our family begun a journey to respect and promote the importance of Earth's fragile ecosystem, that focussed on reducing waste. Inspired by the beauty and resourcefulness of this wonderful planet, I have published numerous magazine articles on green issues and the author of four books.

Comments (8)

ROFL at your write-up Mrs Green…Mr A will no doubt love the image of Ms Whiplash of Landfill…LOL..roll on September. Good on Mr Green for encouraging you all the way to action. ;-D

Love your recycling system by the way and am envious. My stuff gets lobbed into a few old carrier bags that are hanging off our utensil rack in our tiny kitchen…Evidence that those without storage can still manage in some fashion…and some fashion it is…the kind that needs a blimming good makeover.

A big well done, once again.
So the first week in September heh?
Look how far you have come already, and September is so far away 🙂
That is a mighty fine recycling centre you have there Mrs G. But may I ask what you do with polythene?
If you find a solution to your yoghurt pot dilema, please let me know. I too have a yoghurt pots, I use them in the greenhouse, use them for transporting egg shell and bits to the allotment, but they are a bit too flimsy to be reused again and again.
I am collecting Milk bottle tops for someone off freecycle, I now have a draaw full, and can’t remember who I was collecting them for, hmm :]

Sue, I have an article on the very subject of polythene coming up super soon (no blagging please, Mrs A). Where I will reveal two FABULOUS ideas, even if I say so myself 😀 This is news that I am very excited about, so watch this space…….

I’m coming up with a solution for yogurt too. I’ve just ordered a yogurt maker and I’ll let you know how I get on with it. I’m a yogurt snob, so I will be giving it a thorough workout.

I think it’s great you are managing to store all your recycling in a small kitchen, Mrs A. I have to admit people can quite legitimately say ‘it’s alright for you…..’ regarding our set up because we DO have a lot of storage space. I’m very grateful for this and I know it is not easy for everyone.

You’re providing inspirational ideas for how people can achieve this in a small space and that’s fab.

Yoghurt maker sounds good.
I have looked ino making yoghurt (it was a New Years resolution to make some this year!), and it is one thing I have been meaning to check out again this week. I believe it is like a magic porridge pot. Make it, eat some and save some for the next batch!
I will be making cheese soon! I bought some culture starter and rennet and a lovely stainless steel mould and other bits from the lovely people at Caws Cenarth, I am wondering what culture you need for yoghurt, if it’s the same as the cheese, then I may already have some in my freezer! Or I may be able to use some other good qualty yoghurt from the supermarket. (off to check it out now!!)

I use it about once a week and it’s great. All we do is boil the milk then leave it cool for about 15 minutes and then pour it into the jars. I put a teaspoon of existing yoghurt into the milk and mix it in and then leave the jars for about 4-5 hours on their heat setting.

I then set aside one of the jars to make yoghurt for the next batch and can do this about 4 times before it gets really runny. At that point I just buy a small pot to get it going again. One small pot a month isn’t bad for about 2 pints of yoghurt every week.

It takes a bit of getting used to compared to the refined products on the market but it is tastier.

Good luck with yours Mrs G. Sue, I am very impressed with the cheese ;-D

Mrs. Green,
Shame on you! I cannot leave my computer today trying to catch up on all these fabulous posts. 😉
I’m really looking forward to hearing about your continued plans for September, and the eventual first week of zero waste…I have no doubt it will be a huge success for you.
Cheers!